Live
Xlusive Fest: Showground, St Albans, Hertfordshire 31/10/21
Music fans could have been forgiven for thinking that the festival season was over by the time nights started drawing in. But 2021 has been a year like no other, and the fact that the hills of Hertfordshire were hosting events on the Halloween weekend demonstrates how enthusiastic people are to be back.
So it was that Xlusive Fest, in its first year, launched to thousands of fans, boasting some of the country's top grime, drill, soca and r'n'b talent, with plenty more mixed in. With two stages on site, organisers were clear from the offset that they're hoping the launch would be a springboard for big things in the future.
Given the quality of artists, it was able to attract, this will certainly be one to watch and those who got there early were rewarded with an excellent set by Inkra Debelle, who showed why she should have a bright future ahead of her, with "As You Are" among the highlights.
Marno Soprano was energetic when he followed her to the stage, while Blackboy DMD ramped up the excitement in the tent with a lively rendition of "Fire".
Another rapper on his way up, Kay2B, hit the stage with party favourite "Paul Pogba", while Queen Millz impressed on the main stage during a short but sweet set.
There were 23 artists listed on the main stage alone, so the turnaround between artists was necessarily swift, although more time was allocated to some of the more established names at the top of the bill.
Tizzy x Brandz brought charisma and showmanship to the stage, with the crowd chanting back the lyrics to "All Ways" and "Escobar" in a well-received performance.
YouTube star and rapper Mularjuice was another highlight, with the audience responding to "Show Love" by doing exactly that.
IQ is another artist who's had a big couple of years, and he looked assured onstage with the soulful "Tsunami" and "Slow Down".
One Acen is on something of a roll at the moment, with "Buried Alive", "Closer" and "Pimp My Ride" showing off his development as an artist, and it wasn't surprising that his performance went down well in a tent which filled up dramatically as the afternoon progressed.
Next up was another well-established name on the UK music scene, Kojo Funds, whose "Golden Boy" album rightly drew a lot of acclaim a few years back. Wrapped up warm in a coat and hat, he nevertheless helped raise the temperature further with latest track "Let Me Know" and WizKid collaboration "I Like" highlighting his range as an artist.
Unknown T went stratospheric with "Homerton B", and the track got an extended airing during his set as the big-hitters built the show to a climax.
Hardy Caprio is another rapper whose career has come on leaps and bounds in the last 18 months, and he clearly relished being back in front of a crowd again. "Best Life" has lost none of its force since its 2018 release, and latest single "I Luv U" was a strong moment in a set full of strong moments.
In recent years I've been lucky to see Ms Banks performing several times, most recently at Yam Carnival in the summer, and it's been good to see her growth as an artist. Bright and confident, she's a natural on stage and is now getting the acclaim she deserves. During her set, she showed why there's so much hype around her, with "Go Low" and "Pull Up" building on her work on the "Coldest Winter Ever" albums.
After an energetic set by LiveLinq, headliner Digga D hit the stage accompanied by a large crew. Hot off the back of performances at venues around the UK, including a sold-out show at Kentish Town Forum, his "Made In The Pyrex" album has been a triumph. The 21-year-old, already established as one of the UK's drill pioneers, tore through infectious "Wasted" and "Chingy" in front of an appreciative audience.
It was a bright start for the new festival, which also included White Yardie and Chunkz as hosts. Based on the first year, 2022 should be one to watch.
PHOTOS: DAVE BURKE
Words Dave Burke
